Flexible shaft-coupling



W-. R. .FOX.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1916 RENEWED JAN. 21. 1919.

Inventbrz- William R. F Z, M

Patented May 27, 1919.

WILLIAM 3. FOX, F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT-COUPLING.-

specification-of- Letters Patent. Patented May 2'7, 1919.

Application med anuar 15, 1916, Serial No; 72,310. Renewed January 27,1919. Serial No. 2731447.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Fox, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, Michigan,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in FlexibleShaft-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in flexible shaftcouplings and pertains moreparticularly to certain improved details ofconstruction in the type known as un1versal ball joints.

The principal ob ect'of the inventioh coil sists in providing auniversal joint of th type above referred to which will be simple inconstruction, economic in the cost of product-ion'and peculiarly durableand eflicient in the numerous usesto plied.

templates the provision of a ball joint in which a comparatively smallnumber of parts are necessary and in which many of the loose fastenings,rivets, bolts and so forth heretofore employed, are completely dispensedwith.

With these and other olbjectsin view, the

invention consists in the combination and another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a view showing partly'in elevation and partly in sectionaejoint fork with modified retaining means.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the retaining means illustrated inFig. 7.

Fi 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2 -of themodi ed form shown in Figs. 7and 8.

Referring now to the drawings, the preferred form of the invention isillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Thejoint itself consistsessentially of three parts, viz, the fork members 1 and 2 and ballmember 3. In this form a pair of outer sleeves which it maybe ap-' Amongother objects the invention con- 1 between the head and integraltherewith is the fork member 7 disposed transversely across the diameterof the member 1 and being in the general form of a late with parallelsides. Theplate portion 7 is provided with a contrally located circularopening 8 and has a segmental portion cut /away, leaving an opening withconverging sides 8 communicating with the central aperture 8. The otherfork member 2 is similarly formed with a hollow head 6, and an apertureplate 7 "of same shape and dimensions as the plate.

7 with the one exception that this one is provided with an additionalrectangular opening 9 equal in width to the smallest distanceacros's'the opening between the con verging faces 8*' and communicatingtherewith The ball 3 is of substantially spheri cal formation and isprovided with transversely disposed circumferential grooves 10, Which.receive the open ends of the forks or plates 7, 7'. In order to assembleor separate these members at pleasure diametrically opposed' flat spots11 are provided at the intersections of the grooves 10, and the diameterof the neck between these spots is thus .reduced sothat it equals thesmallest distance between the converging faces 8 and 8, while theunflattened inner diameters of the grooved ball are substantially equalto the diameter of the circular apertures 8 and '8', being slightlysmallerto allow easy play parts.

In assembllng the parts, the ball 3 is inserted on the forked plate 7 ofthe part 2, theball being'so held that'the flat portions 11-registerwith the opening between the edges 8. The ball is then given aquarter turn to bring one of the grooves 10 in alinement with the oening 9, in which position the other coupling head 1 is applied bybringing the forked plate 7 into engagement with the groove 10, themember 1 being held. for this pur ose at right angles to the part 2carrying t e ball 3. Once the three parts are in intimate engagementwith one another the outer sleeves 4 and 5 can be applied andpermanently secured to the outer cylindrical surfaces of the couplingheads 1 and 2. The outer sleeves 4 and 5 are forced or shrunk onto themembers 1 and 2,hence no screws, rivets or other loose parts are needed.A suitable oil port 12 may be formed in the outer sleeve and fork 4 and2,

'so that the parts can be freely lubricated.

Were it not for these outside sleeves, which limit the motion oftheparts, it would be necessary to provide some retaining means toprevent the separation of the parts should one of the coupling headsfor. any reason. be turned, at right angles to the other. The sleevesbesides preventing the joint from looking, strengthen the jointstructure and give. to it aneat and finished appearance, and alsoretains the oil.

In the modified forms of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, theouter sleeves may be dispensed with entirely and means are provided forpositively retaining the three joint members a ainst accidentalseparation. In the form s own in Figs. 5 and 6 this means comprises asingle screw 13,

' whose diameter is exactly equal to the thick- 7 and 8 in which meansof a different character are provided for the purpose of bolding theparts against separation. In thls case'a piece 14 is inserted in thefork 7 before the circular cavity 8" is milled out and retained inposition by the screw threaded bolt 15. After the cavity has been milledout the screw or bolt 15 and the block, which then has the form shown inFig. 7 can beremoved and the parts of the joint assembled as in theprevious forms. .The pin 15 holds the block 14 in position, preventingthe upper fork in its extreme inclined position from entering the recess9 as the circular top portion, corresponding to the contact surface'ofthe sleeves in Fig. 1, limits the angular movement of the parts.

A rivet could be inserted in place of bolt 15 and to further guardagainst either bolt .or rivet coming out, and to give the joint the samefinish and appearance as the con-- struction shown in Fig. 1, the samesleeve could also be forced on to the construction of Fig. 7.

In-the construction shown in Fig. 7 the cavity with the ball. Thisserves to take a portion of the .twisting strain off from the drivingoperation of the'fork 7, by affording a bear ing surface in'contact witha portion of the ball.

It is not alleged that the use of sleeves cylindrical sleeves being 8"is made to have a running fit is novel per 86, but in every case inwhich a ing to the diameter of the curved reduced portion of the ball atthe bottom of the grooves and adapted to freely slip over the flattenedportions and to turn on and be retained by the curved surfaces of thereduced part and a sleeve carried by each of the coupling heads andhaving an mterior diameter at its end substantially equal to thediameter of the ball, said sleeves terminating on opposite sides of thecenter plane of the balland with as ace between their opposing edges toallow tie heads to assume angular positions relative to each other, theopposin ends. of said sleeves by contacting with eac 1' other limitingsaid angular relation, substantially as described.

2. A universal joint comprising a pair of coupling heads having each acylindrical body portion and a projecting fo'rk, a ball havingintersecting grooves, t e bottoms of which have diametrically arrangedflattened portions and diametrically arranged curved portions, saidforks being of a width not greater than the diameter of the ball andhaving inner curved surfaces spaced apart to pass freely over theflattened portions but to fit closely upon the curved surfaces at thebottoms of the groovesto be retained thereby and sleeves of cylindricalform fixed on the cylindrical portions of the heads, 'projectingtherefrom and extending over the forks, the internal diameter of each ofsaid substantially equal to the diameter of the all, said sleeves terminating on opposite sides of the central plane of the ball, leaving aspace between them for the angular displacement of the coupling heads,the opposing ends of said sleeves limiting the angular movement.of thecoupling heads by contacting with each other,substantially as described.

3. A universal joint comprising a pair of coupling heads each providedwith a bifurcated fork member formed with a circular cavity, one of saidmembers being further PIOVldEd with an opening in line with the forkopening, a ball having intersecting circumferential grooves, said forkmembers forks,

ed to be inserted in the opening in said fork.

member to limit the angular positions of the thereby preventingseparation of the parts. l

4. A universal joint com rising a pair of coupling heads, each provi edwith a bifurcated fork member, one of said members being formed with anadditional openin I in line with the forkopening, a ball mem ercircumferential grooves, an opening forme in one of said cou lin headscommunicating with said additional opening, means whereby the heads maybe separated when turned to positions at right angles to each other,

separation. of the parts.

5. A universal joint comprising a pair of coupling heads, each providedwith a bifurcated fork member, oneof said members being provided with aremovable insert piece adjacent the fork member,

ferential grooves with diametrically arranged curved portions to retainthe forks, which forks are detachable from the ball at the intersectionof the grooves when the heads are turned at right angles to eachcoupling heads,

and means adapted to be inserted in said opening for preventing other,said forks being of a width corresponding substantially to the diameterof the ball and a sleeve carried by each coupling head and having aninterior diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the ball,

said sleeves terminating) on opposite sides ofthe center plane ofthe alland with a space between their opposing edges to allow. the heads toassume angular positions relative to each other, the opposing ends ofthe sleeves by contacting with each other limiting lsaid angularrelation to less than a right ang e.

, 7 Auniversal joint comprising a pair of each provided'with a forkedmember a ball having intersecting circumferential grooves with curvedbottom portions arranged diametrically o posite' each other to retainthe forks, WhlCll orks are detachable from the ball at the intersectionof the grooves when the heads areturned at right angles to each other,said forked members being of a width no greater than the diameter of thecoupling heads, and a sleeve carried by each coupling head and having aninternal diameter throughout equal to the diameter of the coupling head,said, sleeves partly inclosing the-ball and terminating on oppositesides of the center plane of the ball and with a-space between theiropposing edges to allow the heads to assume angular positions relativeto eachother, the opposing ends of the sleeve by contacting with eachother limiting said angular relation to vless than. a right angle,substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. FOX. Witnesses:

FLonnNoE A. GERMAN, Mm JONES.

